2. "Alright - so teeth whitening toothpaste doesn't work. What about those take-home teeth whitening kits? Surely those must be effective?

This means that teeth whitening kits may not truly achieve a whitening result as the concentration is too low.

To put things into context, dental clinics carry out teeth whitening with agents ranging in concentration from 10% - 40%. This targets the internal discolouration of the tooth and lightens the tooth as a whole.

I suppose we can both do the math and answer how effective a 0.1% concentration teeth whitening kit is ourselves.

3. “I was told that brushing with Baking Soda/Charcoal will whiten my teeth.”

Any sensitivity resulting from teeth whitening treatment is transient, lasting no more than 2 - 3 days at most.

Before any teeth whitening treatment, your dentist will also identify and address any causes of teeth sensitivity. This enables him to plan a more comfortable whitening process.

Addressing teeth sensitivity may be as simple as treating preexisting conditions like cavities, using a desensitising toothpaste, or by selecting a more gradual and gentle whitening regimen.

6. “Why go to a dental clinic for teeth whitening when it's much cheaper at a beauty salon/spa?”

Can’t fault us Singaporeans for always wanting to get a good bargain, right? For sure, it's a buyers’ market when it comes to teeth whitening, with such a wide variety of options out there.

I'd just like to highlight however that it's also a buyer-beware market. Caveat Emptor! (My economics tutor would be so proud).

We've already explored how MOH regulates the concentration of whitening agents that can be employed by non-dentists. As with other types of aesthetic treatment in Singapore, it's common for non-medical professionals to offer teeth whitening treatment at a low and virtually ineffective concentration.

Secondly, dealing with complex cases such as teeth sensitivity requires expert management before teeth whitening can be safely done.

Complications that arise from ill-preparation can be very unpleasant - this includes:

Chemical burns to soft tissue like your gums and lips

Bleaching of your pulp tissue

Don’t get me wrong now! The most expensive teeth whitening treatment may not always be the best, but it's important to choose wisely and not let cost and/or convenience be your only guiding factors.

This wraps up the top 6 tooth whitening myths I've come across while practicing in Singapore.

If it helps you make a more informed decision the next time you decide on whitening your chompers, it'll have made writing this worthwhile. If nothing else, I hope it made for an interesting read!

Dr Huang Shiming is a dental surgeon at TP Dental. Before joining TP Dental Surgeons as an Associate, he also headed dental clinics in public institutions as Dental Officer-in-charge. Outside of dentistry, Dr Shiming is an avid car enthusiast, unashamed adrenaline junkie and photography hobbyist.